Bond Between Brothers
by bleedingRose11
Summary: Galbatorix punished Murtagh for not capturing Eragon in the last battle. WARNING: ELDEST SPOILER! Meanwhile, the king had a surprise for Murtagh.


**Disclaimer: **I don't own Eragon

Dark black clouds gather above the Kings palace.

The Urgals slammed Murtagh onto the cold stone floor. Barely conscious, he could hear the iron bars slam shut. He was starving, and physically in pain. His clothes were battered in scarlet blood. The king had punished him once again.

"_I told you not to have mercy on Eragon! But no! You disobeyed me again. Do you still have sympathy for him? I thought so. NO matter I have something in mind that you can't resist on obeying!"_

Murtagh wanted to run away. He wished all of this would stop. But he could not escape from the all seeing eyes of the king and his grasp. He can barely endure this torture. But he didn't care about his aching body. All he could think of is just the words his brother had said to him.

"_We are nothing alike! I don't have a scar on my back any more!"_

_I don't have a scar on my back any more…_

Those words. He didn't know why it hurt so much.

_I don't have a scar on my back anymore…_

Murtagh winced. His body tensed. His breathing fastened. He loathed Eragon for saying that, but at the same time he felt a sort of guilt in him. _Why did I even agree to serve the empire_?

Suddenly the cell bars clang open. A Ra'zac stood tall in front of Murtagh casting a dark shadow on him. For a moment, the Ra'zac bore its pale grey eyes through Murtagh.

"Masster wishess to ssee you."

It took several seconds for Murtagh to absorb that instruction. He tried to stand but a searing pain shot up to his knees and he collapsed back down.

"Rïsa!"

Suddenly he felt an invisible ball of energy on his collar; it dragged him to the King. Galbatorix swished his hands and let go of the magic. Murtagh slammed onto the marble with a loud thump.

The King bent down and whispered soft but venomously to Murtagh's ears, "I have a surprise for you"

Galbatorix grabbed his collars and lifted him up. Murtagh was too weak to notice what's going on. He just wanted to close his eyes. The king's hands grabbed the back of his dark hair and forced his head to turn.

"Look" he chuckled.

"This is amusing. The first rider ever since your father destroyed them has been captured once again. What do you think Murtagh? Do you admit who this young rider might be?"

The young rider was kneeling on the floor. Draged in chains and his robes were ragged and torn. On it was fresh stains of blood

Murtagh's eyes widened. There he saw his own flesh and blood. In a flash of a second, he forgot all the pain that stung his body, his mind was blank.

"So, you wanted to speak to him well here is your chance!"

Galbatorix forced Murtagh at Eragons feet.

Memories from the past flashed in Murtagh's head

_Swords clanging…_

_The savage war cries…_

_The blood shed…_

_Then he met this young rider, Eragon who was found out to be his brother. _

He gazed long and deep into his brother.

"Speak!!"

A mixed feeling of both furious and thrilled filled him. He was happy because at last he could see him again. Perhaps they can escape together. Perhaps they can hunt together or fight together as brothers once more, just like old times.

But then he remembered those words

_I don't have scar on my back anymore!_

A feeling of hatred suddenly overwhelmed him. His face grew hard and cold. He hated Eragon for it. He slapped Eragon instead. He didn't care how terrible his brother's conditions were.

"What's wrong Murtagh? I thought you'd be happy to see him again."

Murtagh ignored the king. He continued to hit his brother over and over, trying to let go of the anger inside. But the anger itself didn't seem to wear off.

"Say something! Don't just kneel down!" Demanded Murtagh, but did he even know what he wanted Eragon to say?

Eragon just gave Murtagh a calm peaceful stare, but somehow tortured.

"Why did you say that? I hated you for it! Where is your scar on your back?! Answer me! Why have the elves turned you like this?"

"I don't know" Replied Eragon in a calm voice.

Murtagh realized slapping his brother didn't make him feel better at all. He bent closer to Eragon's ears and whispered, "Please help me run away. I can't stand this any longer"

A single tear slid down his cheeks.

Eragon wanted to reply, "I-"

"Enough talk! Murtagh, go to your cell! Thrysta Vindr!"

The ball of energy slammed on Murtagh and tossed him to his cell. He slammed onto the wall against his back and then onto the floor with a thump.

Later that night, he didn't sleep. He couldn't! He wrapped his arms around his legs and rocked back and forth. He lay against the cell wall, _where had they taken him? How is he?_ He didn't know why he was concerned. He hated him but now Murtagh felt a horrible feeling of guilt as if all of this was his fault.

"Psssssst"

Murtagh turned to see the source of the voice, but found no one. Maybe he was imagining things.

"Psssssssssssssst I'm right next to your cell!"

_Eragon? _

Murtagh remained silent, what should he do?

"Yes I'm here Eragon"

"Why did you betray me? And the Varden?"

Murtagh's jaws tightened. He had hoped that question would not be asked.

"I..just leave me alone!"

"No! You have much to answer. I repeat. Why did you betray m-"

"JUST SHUT UP! Can you promise me that?"

Murtagh tried to pretend Eragon wasn't there but it was impossible.

Eragon said in a softer voice, "I, Murtagh, I'm, I just want to talk. We were good friends. You rescued me from the capture at Gil'ead. I understand that Galbatorix made you swear in the ancient language, but is that the only thing that matters? It's just a language! So I repeat Murtagh. Why have you betrayed the Varden?"

Murtagh didn't know how to answer that. He knew he had been cornered. Instead of answering the question, he cleared his throat and asked in a guilty voice, "Do you forgive me?"

"Yes."

Now he couldn't stand it anymore. Tears streamed from his eyes. His lungs gave away. He placed his palm on his brow. _After what I did to Eragon, and after all the cruel things I said to him, how can he still forgive me?_

"Murtagh, are you still there?"

Eragon could only hear faint sobs. He sighed.

"I'll give you time"

They said nothing for the rest of the night.

The warm morning sunlight peered into the cell window. But the cell remained icy. Murtagh slowly opened his eyes. He tried to remember everything that happened yesterday. Suddenly he sat up, then suddenly he remembered; "ERAGON!"

There was no reply

_Eragon!_

He peered through the jail bars and found out Eragon's jail bars was widely open. On the floor was a faint trail of dried blood. It leads to the king's throne.

_No! They took him away! _He tried to stand but he was too weak. His knees shuddered and fell back down.

_But it's impossible, not with my condition now!_

Suddenly he heard the iron bars unlock. The Ra'zac grabbed Murtagh on the collar and dragged him to the throne.

Galbatorix and Eragon were waiting for him.

"Murtagh, this time you won't disobey me again. Say in the ancient language; I will not show mercy to my brother the next time we meet. SAY IT!"

The venomous voice of the king seeped through his ears.

"I won't!"

"You won't? That's alright if you want to murder your brother here then you don't have to."

I mixed of confused and desperate feeling overwhelmed him. He saw the king placed a knife beneath Eragon's throat ready to slice anytime soon.

"Time is running out. Better hurry, or you little brother will be dead!"

In desperation, Murtagh shouted in the ancient language, "I WILL NOT SHOW MERCY TO MY BROTHER THE NEXT TIME WE MEET!"

His shoulders shivered. He felt a horrible feeling of guilt. He wished he hadn't said that. Tears threatened to fall. He felt the king's hands on his shoulders from behind.

"Well done" he whispered. Then he drew his dagger and offered it to Murtagh.

"No. I can't do that"

"Yes you can! You swore in the ancient language."

Murtagh turned to his brother who was tied up. He approached him slowly. He lifted the dagger with trembling hands. His heart beat fastened. He breathed harsh like a dying man.

Finally, he launched the dagger towards Eragon's chest.

Eragon didn't even react he just closed his eyes then mouthed some words.

Murtagh paused

"What?"

"Remember, it's just a language."

Murtagh trembled, the power of the ancient language battled against his will. He raised the dagger once again, his face expressionless like a murder ready to kill. But something in his head told him he mustn't kill.

His hands shook faster. He couldn't think. His palms grew sweaty.

_It's just a damn language. I can't be beaten by it!_

Then he lowered his dagger.

"I can't"

"Yes you can! The ancient language doesn't lie!"

"I won't! I won't be beaten by a language!'"

Murtagh turned away from Eragon and tossed the dagger to the king. Effortlessly, the king caught it with one hand. There was a mocking smirk hanging about on his face.

"So Murtagh, you think you can turn against me? Dream on! For I shall be the ruler of Alagaesia! There is nothing you can do!"

Murtagh felt the king's massive hand wrapped around his throat and his body being lifted into the air. He choked.

"It's alright! Kill me! I'd be happy to die rather than serving the Empire!" he bellowed.

The king's hands tightened.

"Remember what I used to say, disloyalty will be punishable by death!"

Now it was impossible for Murtagh to breathe. His lungs were screaming for air. His eyes rolled to his head. Flashes of his memories rush through his mind. _It's better for me to die any way, no more running away or fear the night._

But then he remembered about his brother, whom he knew needed help.

_But then I'm being selfish._

With all his remaining strength, Murtagh swinged his right leg and struck the King squarely on the stomach.

Galbatorix stumbled back dropping Murtagh on the floor. Murtagh's breath came in searing gasps. He tried to stand and reach to his brother, but he was too weak, at last he gave in. His visions blurred and then he blacked out.

Murtagh's eyes fluttered open. He studied the surroundings. Tall trees, moss covered floors, huge stones piled together, the smell of the forest. _Where am I? What happened? _

Then he remembered, Eragon tied, The king about to kill, swore in ancient language

"ERAGON NOOOO!!"

"Hey! I'm over here!"

Murtagh swung around and beside him, he saw Eragon untied, however seemed terribly hurt.

He turned away.

"Why did you save me?"

"Because brothers are suppose to look out for each other. It was extremely risky though. I manage to get myself free from the rope. I barely escape with my life!"

Murtagh tried to force a smile but it only made him tore apart.

"I'm a traitor I'm a traitor!"

He repeated those word over and over again.

"You're not a traitor! you're just... used."

"I hate you! why is your scar on your back gone?"

"My scar has nothing to do with it. At least, we still have the gwedey ignasia."

_Thats right, the gwedey ignasia! I completely forgot!"_

"But even if this too is gone, nothing can change the fact we have the same blood."

Murtagh remained silent pondering what Eragon just said.

Then he stood up and whistled.

Something from the distance came flying towards them.

It seemed like a small speck but then slowly grew larger.

The sound of beating wings followed by the deep roar could only mean; Thorn.

"I'll be going now. Thanks for the help. I must leave because if I stay with you, enemies might hunt us down. Farewell!"

"Fare well shurtugal"

"You too."

They gave each other one last look then Eragon saw his brother set off in the air.


End file.
